This is peak magical realism-meets-rom-com chaos and I'm obsessed. You've got:

A rejected, heartbroken 17-year-old Harua writing an over-the-top romance novel

Years later... that book comes to life, and he's the dramatic female lead

With Maki and Jo as the two rival male love interests

And side ships giving ✨peak second-lead syndrome + enemies-to-lovers

AU Type: Magical Realism / Romantic Comedy / Book-to-Life
Main Triangle: Harua x Maki x Jo
Side Ships: Nicholas x EJ (rivals to flirty tension), YuTaki (chaotic + lowkey domestic), Kuma (K x Fuma – full slow burn energy)
Requested by Meongjii

📖 The Premise

At 17, Harua wrote a wildly dramatic romance novel after getting rejected by Nicholas—a fantasy full of yearning, sword fights, betrayal, and two perfect love interests: one soft and steady, one flirtatious and sharp.

He buried it in his drawer and forgot about it.

Years later, while cleaning out his things during a rainy night, he finds the manuscript.

Jokingly, he mutters:

"I'd kill to be the main character of this life instead of my own."

Cue: lightning strike. blackout. fade to white.

When he wakes up—

He's inside the book.

Wearing a ridiculous romantic-era outfit.

Staring at Maki, who says:

"You mustn't walk alone in the rose garden, Lady Harua. Not with Jo lurking."

Jo, of course, is already behind him.

💘 The Love Triangle Setup

Harua is now in a fantasy setting, complete with castle intrigue and a plot that feels... way too personal.
Turns out, his emotionally repressed teen self really poured it on:

Maki = The flirtatious noble-turned-bodyguard

Witty, fast-talking, fond of calling Harua "my liege" in a way that's definitely teasing

Has a tragic backstory Harua does not remember writing

Jo = The knight commander with a tragic vow

Protective, unreadable, lowkey terrifying to everyone else

But his voice softens when it's only Harua

The problem?

They're both into him.

And Harua remembers writing both of them to fall in love with a version of himself that didn't exist.

Now he's living it—and he's catching feelings back.

💔 The Nicholas Factor

Nicholas exists in this world too. But he's not a love interest. He's the prince who broke "Lady Harua's" heart in chapter one and is now engaged to EJ—the cold, competent military advisor.

At first, Harua is like "um EXCUSE ME? I didn't write that—"

But then Nicholas and EJ start bickering over strategic plans and bantering in sword practice and it's alarmingly hot.

Harua:

"Oh no. I accidentally wrote them enemies-to-lovers."

💞 Other Chaos Couples

YuTaki = Harua's cousins. Clearly side characters meant to be comedic relief and accidentally become the most stable ship.

Yuma's the reckless troublemaker

Taki's the sarcastic herbalist who constantly patches him up

They share one (1) tent scene where Taki adjusts Yuma's bandage and it gets awkwardly silent and intense

Kuma (K x Fuma) = Harua's royal advisors

K is flamboyant, dramatic, and fully convinced this is his story

Fuma is the silent tactician who's definitely been in love with K for like, five chapters

Everyone sees it but K

Harua watches them argue about wine pairings and mutters: "I definitely didn't write that much subtext."

🌀 Plot Twist: Harua Realizes the Story's Ending Is a Choice

In the final chapters of the book, his original plot forced the heroine to choose one of the love interests—and one would walk away heartbroken.

But now that he's living it, he can't do it.

Because this isn't a story anymore.

It's real feelings. Real people.

And Harua realizes:

He doesn't want to be written.
He wants to rewrite it.

🌹 Scene One: Harua vs. Maki (a.k.a. Too Hot to Be Fictional)

Harua corners Maki in the castle's stables—because apparently, that's where knights brood in fantasy novels.

Maki is brushing his horse. Shirt rolled up. Glowing like a YA cover model.

Harua is in lace. He's had enough.

Harua: "We need to talk."

Maki turns, smiles like a problem.

Maki: "Is this the part where you finally admit you're in love with me?"

Harua: "No. This is the part where I ask how you're so good at this."

Maki (blinks): "At what?"

Harua (gesturing wildly): "At being the perfect fictional love interest?! The smirking. The brooding. The sudden piano skills! I wrote that as a joke!"

Maki steps closer, brushing hay off his gloves.

Maki: "You wrote me that way. All I did was follow the story."

Harua (pointing): "No. You're improvising."

Maki (lowers his voice):

"Maybe. Or maybe I just knew you better than you thought you did."

Harua takes a step back—right into a hay bale.

Maki (soft, almost dangerous):

"You gave me a role, Harua. I'm playing it. So why do you look at me like you want me to stop?"

Harua (quiet):

"Because I think if you don't stop... I won't remember it's not real."

And Maki—just for a second—doesn't smile.

⚔️ Scene Two: The Duel (Jo has had it)

Jo finds them mid-argument.

He doesn't speak.

He draws his sword.

Harua (panicking): "WAIT."

Jo (dead calm): "He's playing a part. I'm not."

Maki: "Is this the dramatic sword duel chapter? Finally."

They circle each other in the courtyard. Rain starts falling (of course it does). Harua is still in heels, stuck between two fictional men ready to fictionally ruin each other.

Harua:

"Okay. You're both insane. Put the swords down. This isn't romantic—it's deranged."

Maki (twirling his blade): "Speak for yourself. I look great in the rain."

Jo: "You don't care about her."

Maki (raises an eyebrow): "You're calling me out? I've been here since chapter one. You showed up in chapter three with a tragic backstory and a knife."

Jo: "And I still got closer to her than you ever did."

Harua: "I'm literally right here."

Maki lunges.

Jo parries.

Harua dodges between them in heels, grabs a broom, and smacks both of them in the shins.

Harua:

"NO MORE FIGHTING. I didn't write a love triangle so I could die in crossfire!"

Maki (grinning through the pain): "So you admit it's a love triangle?"

Harua throws the broom at him.

🌙 Scene Ends:

Harua storms off in soaked lace and fury.

Jo and Maki watch him go.

Jo: "She's really something."

Maki (sighs): "They both are."

They don't speak for a while.

Then Jo mutters:

"He still likes me more."

Maki:

"Try again, angsty."